The economic and environmental benefits stemming from greening Africa's industrialisation make the environmental approach the only viable option for the continent's continued development, argues the latest Economic Report on Africa titled Greening Africa's Industrialisation.
"The time has never been better for African countries to follow this route to development," reads the report. It found that global commitments to addressing climate change, such as the agreement reached at the Conference of the Parties (COP21) during the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris in December, set the stage for partnerships to transform Africa's growth prospects. "Africa's move to greener industrialisation is not just a step towards meeting global carbon emission targets - it is a precondition for sustainable and inclusive growth," the report continues.
Although African countries' carbon emissions are low compared to other countries, going green can boost growth, says Dr Fatima Denton, director of the Economic Commission for Africa’s special initiatives division. "This is no longer an issue of choice. We have to take this pathway because it makes good economic sense."
The report says Africa can leapfrog traditional carbon-intensive growth methods and champion low-carbon development. It notes that Africa's growth has largely been unequal, has been based on the extraction of raw materials, and has damaged biodiversity and natural resources.
How, it asks, can these patterns be transformed while ensuring steady supplies of water, food and energy? "Africa's move to greener industrialisation is not just a step towards meeting global carbon emission targets - it is a precondition for sustainable and inclusive growth," it says, noting green initiatives, particularly in energy, can benefit manufacturing and other sectors.
